Primary read
Mixed
Options-market disagreement
Ticker Options Intelligence
MXL options intelligence
MaxLinear Inc options pressure, expected move, strike concentration, and Sharemaestro trend context.
Conviction
38
Market data through 11 Aug 2026
Checked 12 Aug 2026 06:03 · complete available chain
Options-market disagreement
Mixed pressure
MXL currently carries mixed options pressure with a 38/100 conviction score. The nearest-chain expected move is 13.4%, with volume/open-interest participation at 0.02.
Expected move
13.4%
Wider near-term move priced
Activity / OI
0.02
Current volume is quieter versus prior open interest
Put-call
1.28
Put-side skew
Trend fit
66
Options agree with trend context
Weekly backdrop
+12.2%
RS 84.9
Expected move
13.4%
Put-call volume
1.28
Volume / OI
0.02
Reference IV
0.94
Max pain
75.00
Underlying
74.98
Nearest expiry
21 Aug 2026
Contracts
616
Research Brief
MXL has a mixed chain read with 38/100 evidence alignment.
The practical question is whether the underlying confirms the options concentration. The chain prices a reference range of 64.96–85.00; The largest call open-interest concentration is 90.00; the largest put concentration is 75.00. The most active strike by current volume is 70.00.
Priced range64.96–85.00
Call concentration90.00
Put concentration75.00
Max pain reference75.00
- A clear directional pressure reading develops and price begins to agree.
- The current chain read already agrees with the stored weekly trend context.
- Volatility falls and the chain remains directionally mixed.
Priced Move
Where the chain says movement becomes exceptional
Options imply 64.96 to 85.00. Max pain at 75.00 sits inside that range, 0.0% above spot.
Spot
Max pain
64.9674.98 ± 10.0285.00
Confirmation level
A close beyond 85.00 or below 64.96 at the 21 Aug expiry would exceed the move currently priced by this chain.
Important limitation
The range is a pricing reference, not a forecast; volatility can reprice sharply after news or as expiry approaches.
Score Construction
Why conviction is 38/100
Pressure is 6/100 toward puts; conviction uses its strength, while the signal label carries its direction.
Directional pressure6 × 42%
+2.3
How strongly activity leans toward calls or puts.
Participation40 × 22%
+8.9
Volume relative to existing open interest and contract-level activity.
Trend agreement66 × 26%
+17.1
How closely the chain read agrees with the underlying trend backdrop.
Volatility96 × 10%
+9.6
The intensity of implied volatility and the priced move.
Positioning by Strike
Where open interest and current activity concentrate
The largest call open-interest concentration is 90.00; the largest put concentration is 75.00. The most active strike by current volume is 70.00. Open-interest concentrations show where positions exist; they are not proven support, resistance or dealer exposure.
Put open interestStrikeCall open interest
1399
40.00-46.7%
1593
695
45.00-40.0%
5
921
50.00-33.3%
37
728
55.00-26.6%
42
1036
60.00-20.0%
1344
2293
65.00-13.3%
630
895
70.00-6.6%
762
2432
75.000.0%
553
956
80.006.7%
2032
416
85.0013.4%
1316
252
90.0020.0%
4128
145
95.0026.7%
2273
91
100.0033.4%
2783
140
105.0040.0%
2442
1
120.0060.0%
848
1
130.0073.4%
621
0
185.00146.7%
805
Nearest spot strike Max pain strikeBars show relative OI within this expiry
Gamma Profile by Strike
Balanced gamma proxy
Call- and put-side gamma sensitivity is broadly balanced across the retained chain. Individual strike concentrations may still matter more than the chain-wide net.
Net profile+$799,503Delta change / 1% move
Positive peak90.00+$319,651
Negative peak65.00-$350,207
Nearest balance78.03Interpolated sign change
StrikeNegativePositiveNet / 1% move
40.00-46.7%
+$42,167
41.00-45.3%
-$240
42.00-44.0%
+$335
43.00-42.7%
-$356
44.00-41.3%
-$1,658
45.00-40.0%
-$11,264
46.00-38.7%
-$996
47.00-37.3%
+$13,624
50.00-33.3%
-$47,644
55.00-26.6%
-$71,656
60.00-20.0%
+$7,435
65.00-13.3%
-$350,207
70.00-6.6%
-$190,749
75.000.0%
-$237,147
80.006.7%
+$154,407
85.0013.4%
+$141,547
90.0020.0%
+$319,651
95.0026.7%
+$241,231
100.0033.4%
+$243,412
105.0040.0%
+$109,789
110.0046.7%
+$88,065
Positive call-side proxy Negative put-side proxyHighlighted row is nearest spot strike
Scenario proxy = gamma × open interest × 100 shares × spot² × 1%. Calls are positive and puts negative by convention. Missing Greeks use a Black-Scholes estimate from stored IV with zero rate and dividend assumptions. Open interest does not reveal who is long or short, so this is not observed dealer positioning or a forecast.
Volatility Curve
Balanced volatility curve
Near- and longer-dated implied volatility are broadly aligned; no exceptional front-expiry premium is visible.
0.94
21 Aug
10d
0.95
18 Sep
38d
1.05
18 Dec
129d
1.03
15 Jan
157d
1.05
19 Mar
220d
1.07
17 Jun
310d
1.03
21 Jan
528d
1.02
15 Dec
857d
Volatility by Strike
Balanced wings
Comparable upside calls and downside puts carry broadly similar implied volatility.
60
65
70
75
80
85
Put IV Call IV
Historical Replay
How matured reads behaved through expiry
Forward validation is building. The earliest eligible stored read expires 21 Aug 2026; its result will appear after the matched closing reference is stored.
Directional follow-through-
Moves contained by pricing-
Average expiry move-
Validation readiness
- Auditable calculationoriginal version retained
- Independent entryone read per market session
- Point-in-time referencerequired at entry
- Matched expiry closereported only after maturity
Eligible snapshots must have a dated market session, stored signal, and point-in-time market reference. Each observation uses one read per market session and the first stored weekly close on or immediately after expiry; its original calculation version is retained. It is an evidence audit, not an executable strategy or evidence of future performance.
Evidence Quality
Usable with limits
Retained chain100%
Implied volatility100%
Two-sided quotes100%
Open interest100%
- Chain status
- Complete available chain
- Market date
- 11 Aug 2026
- Calculation
- v2.0
- Contracts
- 616 / 616
- No material coverage gap was detected in the retained chain.
Aggregate chain data supports concentration, participation and pricing analysis. It does not identify trade aggressor, opening versus closing activity, multi-leg intent or dealer inventory.
Options Intent Radar
Put-heavy activity
Put-side activity dominates. This can reflect hedging or directional positioning, but the chain alone cannot distinguish buying from selling.
The options read is mixed, so divergence is not strong enough to classify.
Put-heavy activity matters because it connects the options headline to the actual evidence: $866,051 of estimated gross traded notional, puts · 22-45 days · otm, and a no clean flow/price divergence backdrop. Use it as a research priority signal, then validate the chart, liquidity, event calendar, and risk before acting.
Options pressure-6
1W price+12.2%
Call premium28%
Put premium72%
Notional split
C 28% / P 72%
Estimated gross traded notional uses volume × contract multiplier × midpoint, or last price when no valid midpoint is available.
Freshness
0.02
Volume divided by open interest across the visible chain.
Trend fit
66/100
Agreement between options pressure and Sharemaestro market context.
Aggregate chain data does not identify trade aggressor or opening versus closing activity; call/put concentration is not proof of market direction.
Puts · 22-45 days · OTM
puts cluster with 675 contracts traded, $284,482 estimated gross traded notional, and 33% of visible notional.
$284,482
Puts · 91+ days · ITM
puts cluster with 18 contracts traded, $144,790 estimated gross traded notional, and 17% of visible notional.
$144,790
Puts · 91+ days · OTM
puts cluster with 79 contracts traded, $134,380 estimated gross traded notional, and 16% of visible notional.
$134,380
Calls · 8-21 days · ITM
calls cluster with 139 contracts traded, $57,660 estimated gross traded notional, and 7% of visible notional.
$57,660
Calls · 91+ days · ITM
calls cluster with 25 contracts traded, $49,800 estimated gross traded notional, and 6% of visible notional.
$49,800
Setup Classification
Opportunity and risk frame
Positioning agrees with the Sharemaestro trend backdrop.
The tape is pricing or displaying unusually elevated activity.
Expected move or upcoming earnings makes the setup more event-sensitive.
Underlying price is close to the max-pain zone.
Activity Anomaly
Warming up
9 of 10 completed market sessions are available. More session history is needed before activity can be compared with a reliable normal.
Baseline: 9 completed sessions
Volume rank-
Volume/OI rank-
IV rank-
Market Context
Underlying confirmation
Close74.98
1W+12.2%
RS84.9
Fair value+211.4%
Options pressure-6
Speculation40
Volatility96
Trend fit66
Today Versus Normal
Stored-options context
30d avg - · 9/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 9/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 9/60 sessions
-
30d avg - · 9/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 9/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 9/60 sessions
-
30d avg - · 9/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 9/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 9/60 sessions
-
30d avg - · 9/10 sessions
-
90d avg - · 9/30 sessions
-
180d avg - · 9/60 sessions
-
Pressure Trail
Recent pressure and volatility
29 Jul 10:29
Volatility
Pressure 32
Move 25.2%
30 Jul 10:25
Mixed
Pressure 8
Move 25.2%
31 Jul 10:20
Volatility
Pressure 42
Move 21.4%
2 Aug 11:39
Volatility
Pressure 47
Move 21.6%
4 Aug 10:30
Volatility
Pressure 42
Move 20.7%
5 Aug 11:01
Volatility
Pressure 53
Move 23.3%
6 Aug 11:06
Volatility
Pressure 81
Move 19.2%
8 Aug 05:13
Mixed
Pressure -3
Move 21.1%
Strike Map
Where activity is clustering
Strike35.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 0
Puts · V 1 · OI 16
Strike40.00
Calls · V 1 · OI 1593
Puts · V 0 · OI 1399
Strike45.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 5
Puts · V 1 · OI 695
Strike50.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 37
Puts · V 16 · OI 921
Strike55.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 42
Puts · V 10 · OI 728
Strike60.00
Calls · V 0 · OI 1344
Puts · V 6 · OI 1036
Strike65.00
Calls · V 3 · OI 630
Puts · V 58 · OI 2293
Strike70.00
Calls · V 135 · OI 762
Puts · V 15 · OI 895
Term Structure
Expiration activity
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Contracts62
Avg IV0.94
Put-call0.28
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Contracts136
Avg IV0.95
Put-call3.04
Expiry18 Dec 2026
Contracts124
Avg IV1.05
Put-call0.93
Expiry15 Jan 2027
Contracts64
Avg IV1.03
Put-call1.00
Expiry19 Mar 2027
Contracts44
Avg IV1.05
Put-call1.00
Skew
Call/put IV balance
21 Aug 2026Balanced skew
Call IV0.94
Put IV0.92
Skew-0.02
18 Sep 2026Call IV premium
Call IV0.96
Put IV0.87
Skew-0.09
18 Dec 2026Call IV premium
Call IV1.09
Put IV1.03
Skew-0.06
15 Jan 2027Balanced skew
Call IV1.07
Put IV1.02
Skew-0.05
19 Mar 2027Balanced skew
Call IV1.07
Put IV1.03
Skew-0.04
Contract Tape
Most active contracts
ContractMXL260918P00060000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike60.00
Volume425
OI652
IV0.87
ContractMXL260918P00065000
SidePut
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike65.00
Volume184
OI516
IV0.92
ContractMXL260821C00070000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike70.00
Volume135
OI762
IV0.95
ContractMXL260918C00090000
SideCall
Expiry18 Sep 2026
Strike90.00
Volume119
OI648
IV0.96
ContractMXL260821P00065000
SidePut
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike65.00
Volume58
OI2293
IV0.92
ContractMXL260821C00085000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike85.00
Volume54
OI1316
IV0.98
ContractMXL260821C00100000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike100.00
Volume42
OI2783
IV1.45
ContractMXL260821C00095000
SideCall
Expiry21 Aug 2026
Strike95.00
Volume38
OI2273
IV0.71
Research Graph
Related research and context
Sharemaestro research
Related News
No recent ticker-specific news yet.
Market Watch
No recent market-watch posts yet.
Earnings
Plain English Guide
Options context
What usually looks constructive
What usually looks cautious
Options can move quickly and can lose value fast. Treat this as research context, not a buy or sell instruction.